Guide Price £875,000 to £895,000

Tannadice, Lower Gustard Wood

AS PRETTY AS A PICTURE/A SPECIAL PLACE

Nestled in tranquil, leafy surroundings at Lower Gustard Wood, Tannadice is a truly special home, overflowing with original features and offering comfortable, contemporary living

When the current owners of Tannadice were considering moving house some 18 years ago, they were not seeking a character cottage. Yet as soon as they saw the exquisite, Grade II-listed haven at Lower Gustard Wood, they fell head over heels in love with it. “I came to view it one evening with our son,” one of them recalls. “We weren’t really looking for an old cottage but it looked so pretty in the pictures. When we saw it, I just loved it and urged my husband to come and see it too – and he also fell in love with it. It was in such a beautiful setting, with such lovely windows and other features, and it also had a real warmth to it. We were both drawn to it immediately because it was such a special place.”

PERIOD CHARM

Dating back to at least 1880, the gorgeous, semi-detached cottage would once have been home to farmworkers. Today, the three-bedroom, red-brick retreat still presents its delightful, latticed windows, beautiful fireplaces, intricate brick detailing and other attractive features. It has been upgraded and well maintained to ensure it remains a comfortable and welcoming 21st-century home and it benefits from a leafy setting and beautiful garden. “It has been such a lovely place to live and a wonderful home in which to welcome visitors,” she continues. “Friends and family often come to see us here and they all love it too.”

A WARM WELCOME

One of just four farm cottages in the unique style, Tannadice is entered via a small hall. The large sitting room, which features three of the beautiful windows, is at the heart of the house. Here a wood burner has been fitted into the characterful, original brick fireplace. “We had this installed and placed the original grate in the fireplace in our bedroom,” the other owner says. “When the fire is lit in the wood burner in the winter months, it is just wonderful.” An impressive staircase leads up to the first floor. “We had bespoke balustrades made for the stairs by a blacksmith and these tie in beautifully with the rest of the cottage,” he adds. “In fact, they make quite a feature.”

SUMMER DAYS

The dining room is also at ground-floor level. This dual-aspect room has a striking red-brick chimney breast, which is used by the owners for the storage of wine, and a magnificent parquet floor. “We had this refurbished and it now looks beautiful,” she observes. The dining room is an exceptional room for Sunday lunches, Christmas dinners and special occasions, but could equally make a superb study or playroom if new owners had different requirements. The attractive kitchen breakfast room has also been upgraded. Today this features country cream units, a range-style cooker and a breakfast bar for casual meals. “We had a new stable door fitted, with a latticed window to tie in with the rest of the house,” he explains. “In the summer months, we can keep this open to bring a lovely breeze in.”

HERITAGE SHADES

The three bedrooms are all up on the first floor of the cottage, together with the exquisite family bathroom. This features a stylish, free-standing, claw-foot bath, with a roll top. There is also a walk-in shower, plus a honey-coloured wooden floor and beautiful marble tops above a bespoke wooden unit. The master bedroom has an exposed brick chimney breast and the third bedroom is currently arranged as a study. “The whole house has been redecorated several times over the years since we have been here – we have chosen neutral shades from heritage ranges, such as Fired Earth.”

GLORIOUS SURROUNDINGS

When the weather is fine, the owners spend as much time as possible out in their mature garden. They also love to stroll out through the back gate into the copse behind, where they often spot pheasants, muntjac deer and all sorts of different woodland birds. “It is so peaceful here and yet it only takes 10 minutes to drive into Harpenden, Welwyn Garden City or St Albans. We are within reach of train stations and the M1 and the A1, and there is a bus we can catch into St Alban’s.” The property is just a few minutes’ stroll from a golf course and close to the National Trust’s Shaw’s Corner, once home to playwright George Bernard Shaw. “We also love going into nearby Wheathampstead, with its heritage trails, coffee shop and abundance of history. They add: “We have enjoyed living here for so many reasons. It is a wonderful neighbourhood, with lots of things going on throughout the year – and, of course, the house has been perfect for us. It is such a warm and friendly home and everyone who walks in always says ‘wow!’”

SETTING THE SCENE

Tannadice is set in the most beautiful, established gardens. Within the grounds there is an outbuilding containing a utility room. To the front of the property, there is a generous driveway providing ample, off-road parking. To the rear, there is a terrace for outside dining and entertaining, as well as a lawn and mature plants and trees. A wooden gate to the rear leads out towards woodland and the golf course.

“We weren’t really looking for an old cottage but it looked so pretty in the pictures.”

“When we saw it, I just loved it and urged my husband to come and see it too – and he also fell in love with it.”

“It was in such a beautiful setting, with such lovely windows and other features, and it also had a real warmth to it.”

“We were both drawn to it immediately because it was such a special place.”

“It has been such a lovely place to live and a wonderful home in which to welcome visitors.”

“Friends and family often come to see us here and they all love it too.”

“When the fire is lit in the wood burner in the winter months, it is just wonderful.”

“We had bespoke balustrades made for the stairs by an ironmonger and these tie in beautifully with the rest of the cottage – in fact, they make quite a feature.”

“We had the parquet floor in the dining room refurbished and it now looks beautiful.”

“We had a new stable door fitted, with a latticed window to tie in with the rest of the house. In the summer months, we can keep this open to bring a lovely breeze in.”

“The exquisite family bathroom features a stylish, free-standing, claw-foot bath, with a roll top.”

“The whole house has been redecorated several times over the years since we have been here – we have chosen neutral shades from heritage ranges, such as Fired Earth.”

“It is so peaceful here and yet it only takes 10 minutes to drive into Harpenden, Welwyn Garden City or St Albans.”

“We have enjoyed living here for so many reasons. It is a wonderful neighbourhood, with lots of things going on throughout the year – and, of course, the house has been perfect for us.”

“It is such a warm and friendly home and everyone who walks in always says ‘wow!’”

This property is no longer available

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3 bedroom semi-detached house for sale